


Tumblr Prompt Fills

by greyingwarden



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F, Gen, tumblr prompt fills
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-06-18
Packaged: 2018-06-05 03:59:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 5,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6688315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyingwarden/pseuds/greyingwarden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An on-going collection of Tumblr prompt fills; all femslash and gen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shepard/Liara: "What is that?"

“Shepard, are you rea– what is that?”

Shepard nearly shrieks in surprise, snapping the little black box shut and hides it behind her back, all the while she turns to face Liara.

“What is what?” Shepard asks, carefully blank expression on her face.

Liara looks at her. It’s a look that tells Shepard that Liara knows she’s hiding something from her. Shepard can barely last a moment under her stare, and she caves.

“Can I wait until we’re at the restaurant to tell you?” Shepard shifts from foot to foot, feeling more anxious than she ever has before.

“Shepard?” There’s confusion on Liara’s face and– _oh, God, did she not realize? They’d gone over this the night before_. Granted, they had been a little busy at the time, but _still_.

“Um.” Shepard says, fiddling with the box behind her back, “This… really isn’t the place I wanted to do this, but…”

She gets down on one knee, pulling the box up in front of her and opens it, revealing the ring she had been caught staring at barely a minute earlier.

“Dr. Liara T’Soni,” She starts, feeling almost unreal, “Will you marry me?”

Liara stares. It takes a moment of Shepard kneeling awkwardly before her mouth catches up with her thoughts.

“Goddess, this is what you were talking about?” Liara’s hand is pressing over her own heart as she makes eye contact. “I thought you were talking about bonding– _oh_.”

Shepard’s face splits into a grin, “Asari _and_ human bonding, yes. So… Will you marry me, Liara? My knee is getting a little sore, here.”

Liara is startled into laughter and Shepard’s whole body feels light.

“ _Yes_ , Shepard, I will marry you.”


	2. Shepard/Liara: "I didn't want you to know."

“I… I didn’t want you to know.”

Shepard has her face turned away from Liara, face warm from the feelings of shame and revulsion at her own leg. The end of her loose pants is drawn up to her thigh, clearly showing the connection of flesh with plastic and metal. Even all these years later, Shepard cannot bring herself to look at her fake limb without feeling sick.

“Shepard…” Liara’s voice is soft and not the least bit disgusted.

Liara sits down onto the bed next to her, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder. Shepard doesn’t have to look at her to know that her brow markings are pulled together in concern.

“Shepard,” Liara repeats, “Please, look at me?”

She does, though reluctantly. Liara’s removes her hand from her shoulder and moves to cup her cheek. The asari’s eyes, much like her voice, are soft, but not pitying, for which Shepard is thankful. She does not want pity from anyone, much less from Liara.

“You did not have to hide this from me.” Liara says, stroking her cheekbone with a thumb, “Did you think I would stop… being interested in you? In this?”

Shepard does not reply, simply shutting her eyes and pressing her lips tight together. Her lack of answer is more than enough for Liara.

“Oh, Shepard…”

Her eyes open wide when she feels Liara’s other hand on her thigh and smooth lips on her forehead. Shepard relaxes ever so slightly into the touch, even as Liara leans back from the kiss.

“I still want this– want you, Shepard. I’m… sorry you thought I would not.”

Relief, bright and bubbling, floods her system and Shepard meets Liara’s eyes.

“Thank you.” The words are barely above a whisper as they leave Shepard’s lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	3. Shepard/Tali: "What do you think you're doing?"

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Tali looks over at her and gets down from the short step stool.

“Feeding your fish so they don’t die for the twentieth time.” Tali snarks, playful tone clear.

Shepard is absolutely affronted, “Excuse me, they’ve only died _seven_ times, thank you very much.”

There is a long pause and they both laugh, Shepard walking further into her cabin.

“But, really,” She says, “I thought Chambers was in charge of this?”

Tali shrugs, walking with her to the couch, “She asked me to do it. I’m not sure why.”

Shepard loosens her armor and removes it, tossing the pieces onto her bed to clean later, along with her skin suit. She flops down on the couch next to Tali, not caring that she is only in a sports bra and standard issue underwear; it isn’t like the quarian had not seen it before.

“So,” Shepard starts, kicking her feet up to rest on the table, “You think Chambers has some sort of secret agenda?”

There’s a long enough pause that Shepard looks over at her. Tali’s mask, and presumably her eyes, is directed toward her stomach and she swears she can hear a heartbeat besides her own.

“Tali? You okay?”

Tali is startled, nearly jumping off of the couch. “Yes! I mean. Yes, I’m fine. What was the question?”

Shepard grins and thinks she knows exactly why Chambers told Tali to go to her cabin.

_God bless you, Kelly Chambers._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	4. Shepard/Traynor: "You lost my what?"

“You lost my _what_?!”

Traynor’s accent is much, much more apparent, now. Shepard smiles at her weakly, shifting from foot to foot, wanting nothing more than to run away.

“I… lost your toothbrush. I was cleaning the bathroom and–”

The woman places her head in her hands, and Shepard half thinks that she’s crying. She could understand, honestly, because that was her first reaction; crying, and then lots and lots of _fear_.

“Shepard, that cost six thousand credits. _Six thousand credits_.”

Shepard places her hands on Traynor’s shoulders, “I promise I’ll buy you another one? Or make it up to you somehow? Please, Sam, talk to me?”

Traynor drops her hands and– oh, yeah, the fear is back. Shepard is _screwed_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	5. Liara & Grunt: "I drew this for you."

“I drew this for you.” Grunt rumbles, holding a piece of paper out to her.

Liara swears that, if a krogan could blush, Grunt’s whole face would be burning. She carefully takes the picture and looks down, examining it.

It is clearly supposed to be the two of them. Picture-Grunt is standing on the bodies of several dead turians and their husk variant; their eyes are large Xs. He is holding a shotgun in one hand and Picture-Liara’s hand in the other. The drawn version of her is splattered liberally in various colors of blood, blue biotics surrounding her body in a bright halo. Above each figure is their respective name and Liara can feel a smile tug at her lips. Shepard was right, Grunt truly _is_ like an overgrown puppy.

“Thank you, Grunt. This is lovely.”

Grunt absolutely _beams_ at her. Liara silently makes a note to frame the picture and hang it up somewhere in her cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	6. Shepard/Aria: "It isn't too late, you know."

“It isn’t too late, you know.” Shepard says, stretching her back to rid it of a kink before settling back into the bed. “I don’t have to get back to the _Normandy_ for another few hours.”

They’re both naked, relaxing on silken sheets without a shred of modesty. The Omega “skyline” is clearly visible in the window to their right, dull light filtering into the room through tinted, bulletproof glass. The tip of Aria’s cigarette flares briefly as she takes a drag, the embers the same color as Shepard’s scars.

Aria snorts, offering it to her. Shepard takes the cigarette, placing it between her lips and breathes in deeply. It’s a cheap, Batarian off-brand of cigarette and Shepard doesn’t know why Aria insists on smoking the worst thing found on Omega.

“You just want me to fuck you again.”

“Who wouldn’t?” Shepard tosses back, leaning over Aria’s body to tap the excess ashes into the tray.

Aria eyes her, “What makes you think this isn’t a one time thing?”

Shepard shrugs, handing the cigarette back to her.

“Possibly the fact that I can barely feel my legs? Or that I’m pretty sure my neck is bruised nine ways to hell?”

“Shepard. Has anyone told you that you’re more tolerable when your mouth is put to better uses?”

Shepard smirks, tongue darting out to lick her bottom lip.

“You did, about half an hour ago.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	7. Shepard/Ashley: "I can't believe you just said that."

“I can’t _believe_ you just said that.” Ashley laughs, nearly doubling over.

Shepard groans, “Shut _uppppppp_. I tried to write you poetry and you _laugh_ at me instead of swooning and falling into my waiting arms.”

“I do not swoon, Shepard.” She says it with an air of seriousness which quickly dissolves, and Shepard joins her in laughter.

She stumbles over to Ashley, wrapping her arms around the woman’s waist. Shepard buries her face into the crook of her neck, trying to muffle her laugh. It takes a minute, but they both finally calm down and she pulls back, only to lean her forehead against Ashley’s.

“Did my poem make you feel _anything_? Anything at all?”

Ashley puts on a mock-thoughtful expression, “Hmm… Does pity count?”

“Oh, shut up, you know you loved it.”

“You _wish_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	8. EDI/Traynor: "Well, that was a huge mistake."

“Can I kiss you?” Traynor asks before she can stop herself. She really _does_ regret drinking all that alcohol earlier.

There is a long pause and Traynor laughs awkwardly, standing.

“Well, that was a huge mistake. I’m–I’m just going to _go_ and pretend this never hap–.”

“Samantha.” 

EDI’s voice stops her in her tracks. She turns slowly and EDI is right there, in front of her.

“I believe the correct grammar structure is ‘ _May_ I kiss you’. In which case,” She continues, stepping closer, “My answer is yes, you may.”

Traynor does none of the kissing. It’s EDI who cups her face and draws her in for a short, sweet kiss. It takes several seconds, but Traynor returns the kiss.

She can vaguely hear Vega cheering them on in the background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	9. Shepard/Tali/Liara: "This reminds me of when I was little."

They’re surrounded by entirely too many empty bottles of alcohol, dextro more so than levo. Shepard had lost her pants an hour earlier; truly _lost_ them and spent quite a few minutes searching before giving up. She’s sprawled out the couch, head in Liara’s lap and her feet in Tali’s. A half-empty bottle of beer is held loosely in her hand and she’s positive Liara’s biotics are ready to catch it if she were to drop it.

Tali seems very interested in her toes. She’s poking and prodding and bending them so much so that Shepard wiggles them to stop her.

“ _Taliiiii_ ,” She slurs, “That tickles!”

“But there are so _many_.” 

Liara muffles a laugh, threading her fingers through Shepard’s hair. Shepard mumbles an approving noise before returning to the conversation at hand.

“You know,” Shepard says, “This reminds me of when I was little.”

Liara’s lips twitch, “You’ve had a Quarian interested in your toes before?”

“Not _just_ her toes.” Tali pipes in, and Shepard can imagine the grin on her face.

She laughs, “No, no, no Quarians in this. But there _were_ a bunch of spiders–.”

“Shepard, _no_.”

“I agree with Tali; let us avoid any spider stories.”

Shepard pouts at the both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


	10. Shepard & Traynor: "Late night again, Commander?"

It’s nearly 0400 Galactic Standard and Shepard’s eyes feel very close to falling out and turning to dust. The only other people still awake are the night shift skeleton crew, and they’re giving her a wide berth. 

Shepard considers, briefly, going to grab a cup of black coffee from the mess when Traynor is suddenly next to her, handing her one of the styrofoam cups she’s holding. 

“Late night again, Commander?”

She downs a quarter of the bitter liquid before answering, “Shouldn’t I be saying the same to you, Comm Specialist?”

Traynor hides her smile behind her cup, “I’ve actually slept today, unlike you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Shepard rolls her eyes, downing another gulp of coffee. 

She finishes the sentence she left off on with one hand and saves the document, shutting off the terminal after a few seconds.

Shepard turns and starts walking toward the elevator, before she stops herself.

“Hey, Traynor?”

The woman looks over her shoulder, “Yes, Commander?”

“Thanks for the tip about Grissom.” Shepard says, shooting her a smile.

“I… I’m glad I could help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmu over on my tumblr kroganmom if you want me to write a thing!


	11. Shepard/Liara: Orphanage

Shepard idly pushes her eggs across her plate with her fork, trying to think of a way to bring up the topic to Liara. The asari is sitting to her right, eating her own breakfast quietly. 

"Is there something on your mind, Shepard?" Liara asks, just barely tilting her head to the side.

"I... Hmm." She hums, stabbing at her food, "How would you feel if I told you that I want to open an orphanage? Y'know, for all the kids that don't have parents because of the Reapers."

Liara pauses. Shepard knows she's surprised, even without turning to look at her. It is sudden, but the idea has been on her mind since she saw Palaven burning, way back before the Reaper War ended. Shepard does not quite know why she wants to do this, but she suspects it's because she doesn't want any kid to end up with a childhood like her's.

"You've been thinking about this." It isn't a question. 

Shepard smiles and leans back in her chair, "Yep. Don't tell me you haven't, Li. I know the Shadow Broker has been making generous donations to various orphanages. But..."

An eyebrow marking raises. "But?"

"Liara. There are barely any resources or... anyone that cares, really, for the kids out in the Terminus."

There's a long moment of silence which is broken when Liara sets down her fork and turns toward her, fully.

"The children in the Terminus... remind you of yourself, don't they?"

Shepard gives a one-shouldered shrug, "Yeah. So what do you say, Liara? Wanna help raise a bunch of alien children with me?"

Liara's lips twitch, "As long as I do not have to play mother to any yahgs."

The quip makes Shepard laugh and wrap her arm around her stomach, fork still clutched in her hand.

"'Course, T'Soni. I can't imagine you raising the next Shadow Broker."

"Do not make me change my mind, Shepard."

That only sets Shepard off in a new wave of laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr is kroganmom, if anyone wants to send a prompt!


	12. Shep/Tali: "I can't believe you just did that!"

Shepard pauses as she pulls away from the hug, hands still resting on Tali's hips. There's a mischievous glint in her eyes and Tali frowns at her. 

"Shepard, wha--"

The human moves faster than Tali can react and plants a kiss directly in the middle of her mask. She pulls away, looking much too smugly at the lipstick mark.

Tali's mouth moves wordlessly, caught between anger and affection. It takes her a few moments, but she finally responds, gently pushing Shepard away from her. 

"I can't believe you just did that! Do you know how long it's going to take for me to clean this, Shepard? Keelah, and if Raan sees this..."

Shepard doesn't bother muffling her snort as she draws Tali in for another hug.

"I've missed you, Tali," She says, "And I have some makeup remover in the bathroom, if you want."

Tali rolls her eyes but sinks into the hug, anyway.

"Bosh'tet." She mumbles halfheartedly.

"Love you too, Tali."


	13. EDI/Ashley/Traynor: "Don't you dare let me win, EDI!"

Ashley was not sure how they had gotten to this point. The party Shepard had thrown had been going well, she’d been drinking, Sam had been drinking, EDI’d been smiling at them in the background… and now here they were.

She’s sitting next to Sam, mixed drink still in hand. EDI is sitting on the couch across from them. There’s a chess board resting on the table between them and Ashley has no idea where the thing came from, nor does she really want to know. Part of her wouldn’t doubt that Sam carried one on her at all times, if she is completely honest with herself.

Sam is staring EDI down like a hawk, or at least as much as she could while being absolutely hammered. The look on her face is enough to make Ashley hide her smile behind her glass. She can feel EDI’s gaze on her and she looks away from Sam, locking eyes with the AI. EDI’s own lips are upturned and Ashley can feel her cheeks flush red. She resolutely blames the alcohol for the blush.

“Don’t you dare let me win, EDI!”

Ashley’s eyes are drawn away from EDI with Sam’s slurred order. She opens her mouth to respond, but EDI beats her to it.

“ _I have already won, Samantha. Should I get you a glass of water? Intoxicated humans typically have faulty mem–_.”

“ _EDI_ ,” Ashley says, “Water would be great. I’ll help her into bed.”

EDI nods and stands, moving toward the staircase. Ashley throws back the last of her drink and sets the glass on the table, turning toward Sam.

“Already getting me into bed, Ashley? How _risqué_.” Sam says, laughter in her voice.

Sighing, Ashley barely resists to cover her face with her hands. She wraps one arm around Sam’s back and wiggles one underneath her knees, standing picking the woman up bridal style.

“Not while we’re both this drunk, Sam.”

Ashley pecks a kiss to Sam’s forehead before wandering off to find one of the many beds in the apartment.


	14. Shep/Tali: "What would your parents think of me?"

It is quiet in Shepard’s cabin, the only noises being the fish tank and their breathing. They’re settled on the couch, next to each other; Tali’s curled up next to her, enjoying the silent company. Shepard keeps drawing circles on the back of Tali’s suit, despite the fact the Quarian couldn’t feel the soothing gesture.

They stay like that for a while longer, before Shepard decides to finally speak.

“What would your parents think of me?”

The sudden question makes Tali snort. She quickly dissolves into laughter and Shepard can’t help but pout.

“What? It’s a valid question, Tali.” She says, definitely _not_ whining.

It takes several seconds for her to stop laughing, but she sobers and answers. “Father would have hated you, without a doubt. Mother… Mother would have liked you and welcomed you to the family.”

Tali’s voice gets very soft toward the end, and her heart clenches. Shepard lets out a breath and pulls Tali in close.

“I’m sure I would have loved her, too.”


	15. Shepard/Ashley: "I know you've got my back"

“Shepard, I…” Ashley pauses, pressing her lips together to grasp at words, “I’m sorry. If you don’t want me back on–”

Shepard shakes her head, cutting her off with a gentle hand placed on her shoulder. She takes a step forward and wraps her arms around Ashely, and pulls her in close.

“Of course I do, Ash. I know you’ve got my back. No matter what happened, that’s not going to change.”

It takes several seconds for Ashley to reciprocate the hug. She slowly relaxes into the grip and places her forehead on Shepard’s shoulder, wrapping her arms around her waist. It doesn’t feel nearly as awkward as it should be, she thinks. They’re standing, hugging, in a docking bay’s hallway and there are people passing by them and giving looks, but Ashley can’t really bring herself to care.

Shepard tightens the hug for a quick second before letting her grip slacken, “So you’re coming back, right?”

“…Yeah, I am.” Ashley says, not lifting her head.

She can feel a laugh shake through Shepard’s body and she’s thankful that her position hides her smile.

“Then I guess we need to get all your shit, Ash. It’ll be good having you back.”

“I look forward to it, Skipper.”


	16. Shepard/EDI: "Don't do that!"

Shepard is fairly certain she has a concussion. She’s had her fair share of them, and she isn’t at all surprised when Chakwas asks EDI to escort her to her cabin and make sure she stays awake for a certain amount of time.

EDI, of course, agrees to the request and, soon enough, they’re entering her cabin.

Shepard’s armor had been stripped off in the med bay, earlier. She’s silently thankful to Chakwas for keeping some spare sleep clothes tucked into a cabinet for her; having to trek back to her cabin in nothing but her skin suit or a hospital gown would have been... unfortunate.

She plods further into her room, making her way to her bed and flopping face first onto it, feeling bone-deep exhaustion. The mattress dips next to her, after a few seconds. Shepard doesn’t have to look to know that it’s EDI sitting, prim in manner. Her legs are probably pressing together, she thinks, with her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Her assumption is exactly why a surprised shriek leaves her lips when metal fingers dig into her sides. Shepard very nearly throws her back out trying to wriggle away, unwittingly loud laughter filling the room.

“EDI!” She finally manages to gasp out, “Don’t do that!”

EDI’s fingers stop immediately, and Shepard turns onto her side to look at her.

“I... apologize, Shepard. Doctor Chakwas informed me that I was to not let you sleep, and your brain activity was quickly approaching levels similar. Several extranet articles indicated that laughter often wakes a human up without trouble.”

Shepard stares. Her mouth opens and closes a few times before she simply shakes her head and rubs a hand over her face.

“Next time just... shake my shoulder or something, please.”

“Of course, Shepard.”


	17. Shepard & Grunt: Present for Liara

“Okay.” Shepard says, planting her hands on the table, “This is a very important mission, Grunt. We need to get this _exactly_ right; there’s absolutely no room for error.”

Grunt, much like his name, grunts in agreement. He slams his fist down on the table with her, or as gently as one can possibly _slam_ anything.

Shepard can barely stop herself from pacing the room, “Do you have any ideas? All the extranet searches I’ve done have suggested handmade things, but I’m coming up blank. Everything needs to be _perfect_ for Liara’s present... presents.”

The krogan gives a sharp nod, his expression determined. “Do you think she likes blue rocks?”

Shepard pauses and stares at him, “I, uh, don’t think so, Grunt. We need to think of something handmade.”

“...A dead marauder?”

“Grunt, _no_.”

They lapse into silence and Shepard gives into pacing. Shepard mentally tries to recount every little thing from Liara’s apartment on Illium. Prothean artifacts are definitely out of the picture; not currently available and nowhere _near_ handmade. There was that picture of Ilos, which...

“Grunt, can you draw?” She asks, turning toward him.

He gives a heavy shrug, “Dunno.”

Shepard considers it for several seconds.

“Fuck it, draw something for her. I’m sure she’ll find it heart warming. Now... I have to think of something. Maybe I can make her jewelry?”


	18. Shepard/Kasumi: "Did anyone see you?"

“Did anyone see you?” Shepard asks, leaning against the counter with a drink in hand.

“Nope!” Kasumi chimes, popping the ‘p’, “I’m not _that_ careless, Shep. It went off without a hitch.”

“Good. So how’d it feel, playing modern day Robin Hood?”

Kasumi shrugs, hopping up and seating herself on the same counter Shepard is resting on, despite there being multiple barstools. Shepard muffles her snort in her drink, and lifts herself up to sit next to the thief.

“Just did what needed to be done, Shep.” She says, filching the drink from her hand.

Shepard lets her take it.


	19. Shepard/Traynor: "How do you like your coffee?"

"Traynor?"

The words come from right behind her and Traynor jumps, and quite possibly shrieks, in surprise. Shepard is standing right behind her, eyes wide and confused. Traynor swears that, with how often the woman manages to sneak up on everyone in the short amount of time she's been back on the Normandy, she must be part ghost. Which, she could actually, possibly be...

"Traynor?" Shepard asks again, eyebrows raised. 

"Oh! Ah, yes, Commander? You don't have any messages on your terminal, at the moment, but I'll alert--."

Shepard holds a hand up, shaking her head and smiling. Traynor tries not to focus on her face, but it's right there, and it's _cute_. She can feel her cheeks heating up, already. 

"I don't need anything, Traynor. I'm heading down to the Mess and getting some caffeine. How do you like your coffee?" Shepard questions, still smiling.

Traynor's mind seems to short out and for the life of her, she can't remember if she even _likes_ coffee.

"I, um. Let me walk with you! My eyes need a break, anyway." 

Shepard laughs and Traynor's heart just about melts.


	20. Aria/Nyreen: "You worry too much."

Shepard is quite a few steps in front of them. Normally, Aria wouldn't let the human lead, but she has no intention of letting any harm come to herself as they take back Omega.

Nyreen is next to her as they push onward, muscles bunched tight and mandibles pressing snugly against her jaw. Aria doesn't doubt that the turian's mind is racing with all the scenarios that could play out.

"You worry too much, Nyreen." She says, voice low, but not quiet enough that Shepard can't hear.

There's a just barely noticeable pause in Nyreen's step, and Aria doesn't bother biting back her smirk. She's too wound up to be useful, at the moment. 

"My concerns are valid, Aria. If you had _stayed_ , you would be worried." Nyreen's subharmonics lilt in a particular way on her name, and Aria's smirk turns into a smile, "Adjutants are... bloodthirsty monsters."

Aria rolls her eyes, "Are you forgetting what I'm capable of?"

There's a quiet sigh.

"No. You're a force of nature, Aria, but the adjutants... They're not natural."

"You worry too much." Aria repeats, and Nyreen doesn't respond.

Hours later, as Aria locks eyes with Nyreen through a biotic shield, she thinks that she should have listened to her.


	21. Shepard & Grunt: "What are you doing?"

“What are you doing?”

Shepard blinks, hands pausing, and looks up at the massive krogan. She’d been so absorbed in her task that she had not heard Grunt walking, which was amazing in and of itself.

“I’m crocheting.” She says, shrugging. “Wanna learn?”

Grunt stares at her, “…What is it?”

Shepard jerks her head to the spot next to her, and Grunt sits. “It’s a hobby, mostly. You can make clothes and whatnot with it.”

She goes through the motions, looping and tugging the yarn slowly. Repeating the action again, she looks at Grunt from the corner of her eye. He’s looking at her hands with a singular focus and Shepard smiles.

“Do you understand?” Shepard asks, smile not leaving her face as she holds it out to Grunt.

Grunt delicately takes it and rumbles an agreement.

It goes on for several minutes and Shepard doesn’t doubt that a vid of Grunt crocheting will make its way onto the extranet soon enough.


	22. Shepard/Liara: "I can't stop looking at it."

Shepard frowns deeply at her reflection, fingertips tracing bright red lights peeking out from under her skin. The marks were back to the point of being visible, again. She could only remember them being this bad right after she... woke up.

She doesn’t know how long she stands there, staring at herself, until the bathroom door slides open and Liara steps inside.

“Shepard? You weren’t in bed and...” 

The “I got worried” part is clearly floating in the air as Liara trails off.

“I...” Shepard starts, clenching her jaw for a brief moment, “I can’t stop looking at it. It’s not me.”

Liara’s expression softens minutely and she walks behind her, wrapping her arms around Shepard’s waist and places her chin on her shoulder.

“You’re here.” She begins, “You are real, Shepard. It’s you.”

Shepard presses her lips together tightly, ripping her eyes away from her scars to lock gazes with Liara through the mirror. She still feels like her skin is crawling, but it is slightly muffled, now.

“I love you, Liara.”

Liara shifts her head to place a kiss on Shepard’s bare shoulder.

“I love you, too, Shepard.”


	23. Shepard/Aria: "Please stay."

“Please stay.” 

The words slip from Shepard’s kiss-bruised lips before she can stop them. Aria pauses in her movements, feet having just touched the cold floor. She turns her head to look at Shepard from over her shoulder. 

There’s a clear, downward tilt to her lips, Shepard notices. She can feel the stirrings of regret deep in her stomach, but she keeps eye contact with the asari.

“Shepard.” Aria says, a just barely noticeable softness to her voice.

A small breath escapes her, “Stay.” Shepard repeats, propping herself up on her elbow. She doesn’t stop the sheet covering her chest from falling.

Silence spreads for far too long. Shepard’s fairly certain that Aria has not blinked since she first spoke. She swallows and almost chokes when Aria finally speaks.

“Fine.”

Shepard’s eyebrows raise slightly, “Damn, all I had to do was ask? And here I thought I would have to offer up a ship to get you to stay the night.”

Aria swings her toned legs back onto the bed, turning to face her fully. There are dark marks all along her neck, her breasts, and Shepard can just barely make out the small bruises on her inner thighs. Shepard draws in a small breath and tries not to get too distracted by the marks she had left.

“You owe me for this, Shepard.”

There’s a grin on Shepard’s face, now.

“Of course.”


	24. Shepard/Aria: "Can we pretend I didn't just say that?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW warning for this chapter!

Shepard’s eyes are half closed when her bare, scratched up back hits the bed. She can feel her heart beat throbbing in her veins and settling on her fresh bruises, hear it drumming in her ears. An open-mouthed smile curls her sore lips as heavy breaths escape.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Shepard says, letting her eyes drift shut, “I love you.”

It’s silent, save for their breathing. Several seconds pass before Shepard’s muscles tense and her eyes open, completely clear. An edge of panic sets in as she turns her head toward Aria, only to find her looking straight back at her.

“ _Fuck_.” Shepard repeats, “Can we pretend I didn’t just say that?”

Aria’s eyes narrow ever so slight, “Shepard.”

“Yeah?”

Suddenly, Aria is straddling her lap again, one knee pressing between her legs, fingers twining into her hair, forcing eye contact. “Shut up.”

Shepard’s mouth goes dry. Her body is warm and the earlier feeling of panic has been squashed roughly, only to be replaced with arousal. At the first hint of her hips lifting, Aria retracts her knee, removing the pressure.

Aria shakes her head, tightening her grip, “You think you deserve that, already, Shepard?”

Several dozen curse words, in several dozen languages, are on the tip of her tongue, but she reigns them in. 

“No, Aria.”

Shepard is extremely surprised when the knee returns, and even more so when Aria’s lips crash against her own. She presses herself against Aria, one hand reaching for the folds on the the back of the asari’s neck, the other reaching lower. Only when Shepard’s fingers find her clit does Aria stop kissing her, focusing her attention of her already bruised neck.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Shepard says for the third time, but certainly not the last.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to request a fic, go hit me up @ kroganmom on tumblr! Please check my prompt guidelines first!


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